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Drawn from Life 



STANDARD LIGHT BI 

Bred by Geo. P. Bu 




FORBES CO. 



jHMAS, — COCK AND HEN. 

am, Melrose, Mass., 1879. 



PAET SEVEN. 



HOW TO BREED 



LIGHT 



BRAHMA FOWLS. 



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By GEO. P. BURNHAM. 



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MELROSE, MASS. 

1879. 



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PREFACE. 



I shall not offer any apology, or explanation, for publishing this book! 

Thirty years ago, the now famous and justly popular Light Bkahma Fowls were 
originated in my poultry yards, in Massachusetts. 

We called them then, and for several years subsequently, by another name. Dr. John 
C. Bennett, (an enthusiastic but notional fancier), gave my fowls a new name, one day; 
he called them " Burrampooters." Then they were dubbed "Brahma Pootraa." Finally, 
we came to know them as Brahmas. 

This was an unimportant matter. The stock was the same. I called it — years ago — 
Gray Shanghae ; because the original fowls were Chinese, and mine came from Shanghae. 
But Brahma is a good name — short, quick, expi-essive ; and is that given in Eastern 
countries to the highest heathen Deity. 

The Dark Brahmas I also originated, (at Melrose, Mass. ), and the first of this variety 
that was ever seen in the world, I sent to England, in 1853. Mr. Tegetmeier, Editor of the 
"London Field," named this breed "Dark Brahmas." I did not. Both varieties were 
bred from the same original stock, however! 

They have proved a wonderful variety of parti-colored domestic poultry — enormous 
in size, beautiful in color, symmetrical in proportions, hardy in constitution, most excel- 
lent layers, and in every respect par excellence, to-day. they are the grand favorites of 
four-fifths of al. the fowl-fanciers on both sides of the Atlantic. 

I am asked a thousand times in a year, by my correspondents, " How do you breed 
your Light Brahmas V " When my stock goes into the Show-room, everybody enquires 
"How do you breed these splendid birds? " Hundreds of visitors to my yards during 
each succeeding season, annually, query " How do you raise these beautiful fowls ? " 

These questions are answered in the following pages. And this is the excuse I give 
for publishing another book, in the form which has proved so acceptable to the public 
as have its predecessors — Parts No. 1 to No. 6, inclusive. 

The ' Leghorns," the '■ Plymouth Rocks," the "Game Fowls" each have a book 
lately put forth, specially extolling their several good qualities. Why should not the 
splendid Brahmas have a treatise devoted to their rare merits exclusively, standing as 
they do among the foremost of modern improved fowls ? 

I think the thousands of American breeders who now cultivate this superior stock 
will agree with me that we certainly should have a volume "all about the Brahmas.'" 
And therefore I have added this treatise to my series of popular 50 cent books, this year. 

1 trust it may gratify and instruct all who are interested in the culture of this choice 
breed. And I remain, fraternally, GEO. P. BURNHAM. 

Cottage Street, Melrose, Mass. May, 1879. 
2 




PAET SEVEN. 



THE LIGHT BMHMA FOWL 



Stands pre-eminently at the head of the poultry race, at the 
present day, in the justifiable esteem of all who have ever 
intelligently cultivated the genuine well-bred birds now known 
among us under this appellation. 

There is no one desirable quality possessed by any other 
variety of domestic fowl stock, that this breed may not lay 
claim to — in greater or less degree. 

They are exceedingly hardy, and are easily grown, any- 
where. They are good feeders, and are ordinarily but little 
liable to disease. The hens are superior layers, and for weight 
of eggs in a twelvemonth, there are none that excel them, in 
this particular. 



4 HOW TO BREED 

They attain to the largest size, at maturity, of all known 
breeds — the best cocks drawing 141 to 15^ pounds not in- 
frequently, at two years old ; and the finest hens bringing 
up the beam at 12 or 13 pounds weight, at the same age. 

Their average color, pencilling and markings are exquisitely 
beautiful. In form and proportions, both cocks and hens — 
when filled out, maturely — are unexceptionable in symmetry. 
If properly fed, from the shell upward, and decently cared for 
constantly, the young stock make excellent broilers, the 
cockerels fine roasters, in the fall of the year, and the male 
birds if changed to capons at the right age, make the very best 
dressed poultry and the largest, at twelve to fourteen months 
old, that have ever been seen in this country. 

The hens lay well in winter, too — if proper care is taken to 
have them hatched early in the spring season, previously. I 
have had hundreds of these pullets commence laying in No- 
vember and December, that kept on laying, with but brief 
resting terms meanwhile, away into the late succeeding spring. 

I have also very frequently raised scores of pullets which 
commenced to lay in the fall, that have laid quite well through 
the winter months, though not so steadily after December, as 
previously. These were February hatched chickens. 

March and April hatched Brahma chicks, if well fed, will 
very regularly make good early winter layers, when provided 
with comfortable cold-weather quarters, and furnished with 
the right kinds of egg-making food. 

They are the most peaceable fowls on earth — not excepting 
the Cochins — and a dozen can be comfortably kept, to profita- 
ble account, in a ten feet square yard. They will eat any- 
thing, and thrive upon the commonest of provender. 

Their eggs are the meatiest, and the choicest flavored of all 
known varieties. This is the unanimous verdict of all house- 
keepers who have had this breed of fowls in their purity about 
the homestead or farm-house, and who have taken the trouble to 
compare their product with that of other kinds of domestic fowls. 

The hens are the very kindest of mothers. The well selected 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 5 

cocks are the best of stock-getters known. And the sires of 
this race will more regularly, more steadily, and more generally 
stamp their good quality, decided color, and fine points upon 
their progeny, in the course of successive years, than will 
any bird we have had any knowledge of ; and we have bred 
the Brahmas, now, for more than three decades, successively 
and successfully — as every one acquainted with the history 
of this famous breed is aware. 

The meat of the Brahma, when properly fed for table use, 
is as juicy, as delicate, and as palateable as is that of the 
choicest young turkey. If the stock birds are starved, while 
growing up, they are no better for consumption than are other 
fowls, thus inhumanely and injudiciously treated. 

For grand size, then — for average weights, for beauty 
of plumage, for accuracy in re-production, for quiet demeanor, 
for fine proportions, for stamina and healthy constitution, for 
layers, for table use, and for any or all the good qualities 
requisite to the complete make-up of first class fowl stock, in 
every respect — I claim for my always admired and superb 
Light Brahmas the palm as the best in the world to-day ! " And 
this I am free to maintain." 




THIS PICTURE OE A LIGHT BRAHMA PULLET, 



6 HOW TO BREED 

is a very clever drawing of one of the most extraordinary 
birds of the class, that I ever bred or saw. She was scored at 
the Hartford, Conn., State Poultry Exhibition in 1878 at 
98| points, by three judges, and her weight was but 9J pounds, 
at that show. 

Her mate, whose portrait is given on page 3 of this volume, 
took first premium at that same show, and was scored by two 
other judges at 99| points — his weight being then thirteen 
and three quarter pounds, as cockerel.* 

This pullet with another fine cockerel, that same season at 
Portland took the $100 Gold Prize, at the Maine State 
Society's show, in 1878. And this latter cock, with a very fine 
hen, I sent to J. M. Milliken, of Fenton, Mich., a few weeks 
after Mr. Case procured from me the pair that had become 
famous, from their remarkable record as " 99 J " and " 98|." 

No birds I ever knew among the Light Brahmas, have shown 
this high scoring, before or since the above described pair were 
thus scaled. The Judges were all experts, and this record was 
accordingly the more valuable and more gratifying — when it 
turned out that six different umpires passed upon the merits 
of these two young fowls, and all agreed in their individual 
score, to within a fraction of the above astonishing maximum 
in points of excellence. 

In 1878 and '79 I bred from these and several other superior 
fowls of their age, or older, a goodly flock of Light Brahmas — 
from which I have made selections of some very promising 
young birds for my next season's sales. 

And I am convinced that continual care, only, in this matter 
of selection and appropriate mating of our birds, year after 
year, tends to the constant and noticeable improvement of the 
progeny we obtain ; however fine or exceptional we may chance 
to grow a few pairs, or individual specimens, from season to 
season. 

The result of my last two year's matings is satisfactory. 



*This splendid pair of birds I sold early in 1879 to Julian M. Case, Esq., of Lansing, 
Mich., who is breeding them with some other choice stock, the present season. 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 




LIGHT BRAHMA COCK AND PULLET, 

hatched in 1878. The form and color of this fine pair are very 
good, though the cock is too darkly marked to answer as a 
mate for breeding, with so dark a hackled hen ; while as Show 
fowls, these are very nicely matched, in body color. 



8 HOW TO BREED 

Experience in mating, has confirmed me in my long 
entertained belief that a matter of the highest importance in 
breeding the Brahma fowl successfully, is that we know how 
this should be done, to begin with — and that we should every 
season pay the strictest attention to such 

APPROPRIATE MATING AND SELECTION. 

The best fowls in the world, otherwise — if not judiciously 
mated as breeders — will yield the fancier little or no satis- 
faction, in their progeny. The laws of nature are fixed, and 
immutable, in this regard. If we do not conform to the true 
principles of reproduction, when we place the sexes together 
for this purpose, we must not expect to obtain from such mis- 
mating the results we should prefer. 

There is but one way through which in color we can obtain 
among the Light Brahmas, for example, the evenly pencilled 
hackles, the clear white bodies nowadays so popular and 
desirable in this breed, the clean black tail, and wing-flights 
"black or nearly so," (required by our Standard), and not 
get anything else, in spots or splashes, upon the pullets. 

There is but a single method by which .we can turn out such 
cockerels among the chicks we hatch as are most desirable, in 
this variety ; and this is to mate the parents properly, so that 
we can re-produce a given type of male bird — in the average 
— such as will come up to our wishes in this matter of color. 

If we have extreme dark hackled hens, or pullets, at the 
start, and the male parent we chance upon is a " good match," 
apparently, (because his neck is also darkly pencilled), we 
should not place these two closely matching birds together to 
breed from, at all ! 

And why? Simply because they do not belong together. 
They are not fitted (in color) for each other. They are very 
handsome it may be, to look at, in the Show pen ; but they are 
not suitable to be mated, for breeding purposes. 

And wherefore ? 

Because there is no diversity of color in the same parts 
of the two fowls. There is no preponderance of white to 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 9 

counterpoise the black feathering, or vice versa. You have a 
black-necked cock and a black-necked pullet, for instance — 
almost precisely alike, in general hue of plumage. 

Now, breed these two together, and you get spotted chicks, 
with dark under-fluff, speckled backs, and patched hackles, for 
the most part, when hatched from the eggs such colored pul- 
lets will la}^, after being in union with similarly dark-plumed 
cocks. There is no exception to this rule, and there is no 
escape from the results of this erroneous style of mating. 

But, suppose yoxx have this same dark-necked sort of pullet 
(no matter how distinctly black her hackles are pencilled), and 
you choose to mate her to a suitably colored cock bird to 
offset, or counter-balance, this extreme dark hackle and black- 
ness of plumage in other portions of her body. 
What comes of this union ? 

Just what you are aiming for. The " happy medium " in 
color of neck, tail, and wing-tips on your pullets, and an 
average of good color upon the cockerels — in the main. 
Not always thus, however. 

The fact must be understood that this color in the Brahmas 
is made up ©f two opposite distinct hues : white and black. 

If one of these colors preponderates upon the hens or 
pullets used for breeders, then you must balance this by 
mating them to a %^-colored hackled cock. 

If you put a similarly dark-necked cock with them, you get 
nothing but dark, speckled, and unevenly spotted-backed 
chicks. The result is inevitable, and follows, every time.. 

Bearing this fact in mind, do not fly to the other extreme. 
If your hens or pullets have very light neck-hackles and ex- 
ceptionally white body color, look to it that the cock mated 
with them for breeding purposes has a clearly defined black 
striped neck, with good show of black wing-flights, and 
especially a well formed clear metalic black tail. 

Such a union of sexes will produce good colored chicks, 
almost invariably ; although the cocks may not all precisely 
" fill the bill " to the closely critical eye of the expert. 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 11 

On the opposite page we give a fine drawing from life of a 
Light Brahma cock past two years old, in his best condition, 
which we have bred one season, and have mated this year 
again to a pen of ten or eleven extra sized hens. His weight, 
before he was placed in the breeding-run in January 1879, was 
a trifle over fifteen pounds. 

We have never been an advocate for extreme "heavy weights" 
in either the Light or Dark Brahmas, for cock birds. We do 
not care how large our hens grow. At full maturity, if the 
flesh is good, and they are not over-fat, inside or outside, we do 
not mind how heavy they are. The larger the better, for hens. 

But the popular rage is for large Brahmas. And if the 
cockerels do not weigh 11 to 12 pounds, now, at ten to twelve 
months old, with pullet-mates of same age drawing 8 J to 10 
pounds each, the stock of any prominent breeder of this 
notable variety is deemed inferior. While, at two years of age, 
cocks must draw 14 to 15 pounds, to be the most desirable ; 
and hens 11 to 12 pounds each to match them, are only 
considered first class birds, worthy to command " fancy 
figures" in their price. 

The desire on the part of Americans to own the biggest 
crower, and the heaviest kind of hen, is a singular notion. 
Yet it is a universal hobby, and leading breeders of this 
stalwart variety are now compelled to humor this fancy. 

For my own uses, I prefer a male Light Brahma that will 
weigh at maturity plump twelve to thirteen pounds, to one 
that is heavier. I have found that such a cock is a better 
average sire, in many ways. He will serve his hens more 
surely, and eggs laid by his mates will be more generally 
fertilized, take the breeding season through. 

Besides this, such a crower will not tear the feathers from 
the backs and flanks of his companions, as will the larger, and 
always clumsier, cocks. There is not that danger of breaking 
down the hens, or dislocating their wings, often, with the 
lighter weighted male bird, that follows from using the awk- 
ward heavy cocks. 



12 HOW TO BREED 

But these objections the novice knows nothing of ; and every 
buyer of Light Brahmas now-a-days, seeks first to know if 
your breeding stock is the largest in creation, — bigger, heavi- 
er, taller, than are Burnham's, Williams', Felch's, Comey's, 
Joselyn's, Bucknam's, Buzzell's, or " any other man's ! " 

If not, and you cannot satisfy him of this, he doesn't want 
your fowls, and he will decline to buy them. 

It therefore becomes a necessity to grow the bulkier sort, as 
nearly as may be accomplished ; or step aside from the current 
of competition at the present day. Still we individually con- 
tend that 

GREAT SIZE IS NOT EVERYTHING 

that should claim our attention, or fill us with admiration, in 
estimating the qualities of good Light Brahma fowls. Indeed, 
as we have so often written, in our mature judgment over- 
sized male birds of this variety are not so desirable for breeders 
as are the full medium weight cocks. 

And we have now briefly given our reasons for this opinion, 
which we have entertained through many years of practical 
experience in breeding both kinds, very largely. 

We may here appropriately refer to well known sires that 
have earned a wide-spread reputation, which we know were 
of mammoth proportions, themselves, and from which have 
been bred hundreds or thousands of the largest Light Brahma 
cocks and hens that have ever been produced in succession. 

The old "Autocrat" cock, which Mr. Estes, of New York, 
found some years ago, (he says in Fulton Market,) was one of 
these coarse overgrown birds, that has a well known history, 
(through his progeny,) at the present day. He was " said to 
be an imported bird," the seller avowing this to Mr. Estee ; so 
writes I. K. Felch, Esq., in his " Manual." 

Where he was imported from, who bred him, whether he 
originated in Philadelphia, Long Island, at Melrose, Mass., 
" up the Bramapootra River, which empties into the Bay of 
Bengal," or elsewhere, no one ever took the trouble to learn. 

But as Mr. Felch records the fact that " Autocrat was bred 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 13 

one season (1865) to hens whose foundation-blood was the G. 
P. Burnham birds (being the progeny of the stock sent to 
Queen Victoria by that gentleman, )"' and farther, that in 1866 
44 Mr. Estes presented old 4 Autocrat ' to Mr. Williams, of 
Taunton, who bred him to the best birds he could procure," 
afterwards, it is very clear to our mind that all this notable 
stock, like that of the " Colossus " blood, the 44 Duke of York^ 
the 44 Tees " birds, etc., trace their lineage away back into my 
runs at Roxbury, or Melrose, Mass. 

At any rate, if Mr. Estes bought old 44 Autocrat " in Fulton 
Market in 1865, he must know that whoever sold him that bird 
then as an 4 ' imported " fowl, deceived him ; inasmuch as the 
war was just closed in that year, and no foreign vessels were 
then arriving at New York, with 44 imported " birds, that we 
were aware of.* 

It is altogether immaterial where old 44 Autocrat " came from, 
however. He was a good bird, and one of the heavy-weight 
Light Brahmas, that has left 44 his mark " upon the race now 
alive in the United States. 

His progeny of both sexes have been bred with the 44 Duke 
of York " blood — another splendid Light Brahma cock fortu- 
nately first possessed by E. C. Comey, and it has also been 
intermingled with the Burnham strain, the Philadelphia stock, 
and the Buzzell or Sturtevant line of Light Brahmas — to very 
good advantage. 

Upon the following page we give a very fair representation 
of this well known fowl, from a sketch taken of the cock when 
he was past two years old, and in possession of Mr. Williams, 
of Taunton. 

This noted Light Brahma cock was a very large-framed bird, 
of goodly shape, but darkish in general color, as compared 
with the plumage that decorated Comey's "Duke of York.'" 
His comb was ver} r large, and his under-color decidedly dark. 
This latter failing proved an hereditarjr blemish ; as, in several 



*This story is "too thin." It is worse than the Sailor's yarn, or the Knox, Box, 
Cox tale, by Plaisted. 



14 



HOW TO BREED 




OLD AUTOCRAT, AT TWO YEARS OLD, 



of his sons, bred from hens originally crossed to old " Autocrat" 
this same dingy under-fluff prevailed. 

A serious objection also existed in the comb of old " Auto- 
crat.'''' It was not only over-sized, but it was weak at the base. 
In the progeny — down to the present day — this bad feature 
is well known to crop out, wherever the larger cockerels are 
produced ; and this ill-shaped, clumpy, weak-based comb is 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 15 

seen upon three-fourths of all the stock at present grown, 
which comes from this early blood. 

Mr. Plaisted bred this stock in Connecticut, for a while. He 
claimed that his fowls were of the " Knox-Chamberlain " 
strain, whatever that may have been. But all the character- 
istics of Mr. P's. fowls, of either sex, exhibited the traits 
possessed by the "Autocrat" strain, and Mr. P. himself has 
publicly stated that he purchased some of his larger breeding 
cocks and hens of Mr. Estes, direct ; with whom old u Auto- 
crat " appears to have originated. 

It is certainly true, then, that the Plaisted birds, (bred by 
him at Hartford), were of this lineage, and he announced at 
one time the purchase of the contents of Mr. Emory Car- 
penter's extensive yards, there ; which contained several sam- 
ples of this same Autocrat strain of noted " pedigreed " Light 
Brahmas. He also owned three cocks, brothers of Collosus, 
(which latter was a son of old "Autocrat"), bought of Mr. 
Williams. 

Wherever this large blood has been bred, it has given general 
satisfaction. In the public exhibitions, the sons and daughters 
of the cocks and pullets bred from old " Autocrat," even when 
crossed upon other strains of note, have always attracted 
marked attention, and in numerous instances these have for 
years proved first and second winners, all over the country. 

And their chief recommendation has been their grand size. 
Innumerable pens of Light Brahmas that have been placed in 
competition beside them, which in the opinion of good judges 
possessed all the " points " of finer color, better symmetry, far 
more perfect pea-combs, more compact and shapely bodies, less 
inclination to " wrytails " or twisted wing-flights, etc, have 
been ignored ; and the heavier weights have carried away the 
coveted prizes, to the disappointment and chagrin of their 
modest owners. 

Yet such is the prevalent taste, and no argument about utility 
carries a feather's weight with the ambitious crowd, who clamor 
for " the biggest kind o' Light Brahma we can get, any how ! " 



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LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 



17 




Above we give a portrait of one of Mr. Williams' hens. 
Her under-colov is very dark, however, and mated with an 
" Autocrat " cock, she would throw speckled or clouded backed 
chickens, seven times in ten, from all the eggs she laid. 

MY " BRAHMA KING," AND " QUEEN." 

The handsomely executed Chromo frontispiece which deco- 
rates this volume, represents two of my aged Light Brahma 
fowls, that I consider very superior birds ; though the drawing 
originally made of them by Mr. Porter (for the " Poultry 
World ") was taken when, the hen was past four years old. 
The cock averages about fourteen pounds weight, and is now 
coming four years of age, in May, 1879. 

This noble pair are the parents of more fine chickens, 1 
think, than have ever been raised from any two Light Brahmas 
in America. And with the single exception of the two old first 
prize fowls shown at the Massachusetts Poultry Society's ex- 



18 HOW TO BREED 

hibition in 1874, by Mr. Sturtevant, this pair of mine have 
never been equalled, in good points, in the world, for a first- 
class Light Brahma cock and hen. At least, this is my opinion. 

They are too old now to be of much farther use as breeders. 
But the hen laid over forty eggs last year, (1878.) They did 
not hatch well, however. And this year I have seen no indi- 
cations yet that she will renew this duty. The cock is a 
splendid bird, but his vigor is declining, though he remains, at 
this writing, in high health. 

The hen has weighed 12\ pounds. She is now thin in flesh, 
comparatively, and came through her last fall moult very 
slowly. But when in good feather, she is a magnificent bird ; 
and in the past four years she has done her share towards 
increasing the product and enchancing the quality of the 
" improved " Light Brahma stock of the United States. 

If I could have a choice in color, size, form and features for 
a flock of breeding Light Brahma hens, I would select this bird 
as my model, for many good reasons. 

She has the very best head, and comb together, that I ever 
met with, and the most perfect. Her neck-hackles are clearly 
pencilled black, and at the base they are cut off in a clean 
circle, upon the shoulders. There the black feathering ter- 
minates, and no discolored " apron " is shown upon her back. 

Her under-fluff is snow-white, to the skin, upon body and 
flanks. Both wing-tips are clearly black, in the flights. Her 
tail is short, full fan-shaped, and black as a coal. Her shanks 
are heavily feathered, without a vestige of " vulture-hock," 
and this runs evenly down to the extremities of both outer and 
middle toes. 

Her symmetry is almost unexceptionable. There is the full 
broad breast, the handsome fluffy thighs, the long straight 
back, the over-arched eyes, the short firm beak, and the square 
upright carriage, always coveted in the perfect Light Brahma, 
but yet seldom attained ! 

In early life, she was a great layer, and upon two occasions 
proved an excellent mother. And now — at near five years 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 19 

of age — she is as bright, as clean, as smart, and as beautiful, 
as when she was engaged in laying her first litter of eggs, at 
seven to eight months old ; and is the same fair, hearty, healthy, 
elegant bird she has ever been — a splendid type of the genuine 
Light Brahma — aye, every inch of her. 

The cock portrayed in the Chromo referred to, is a very 
superior fowl. But his hackle-feathers are comparatively much 
lighter, and less distinct, in the black striping, than are the 
hen's. Otherwise, his color is good. 

His wing-tips are " black, or nearly so." His tail is a clear 
metallic black, from the roots to the extremities. The tail- 
coverts run up high over the rump, and are whitish, more or 
less. His shanks are well feathered, but his legs are not so 
long as those of many cocks I have bred, of equal weight. He 
will draw 13J to 14 pounds, when at his best weight, and he 
carries a low nicely shaped pea-comb upon his smallish well 
turned head. His body under-color is clear white, again ; and 
he has sired a great many birds of both sexes that have followed 
the parentage in this particular, very accurately, though not 
universally. 

THE TRUE POINTS OF THE BRAHMA FOWL 

may be summed up as follows. The American Standard of 
Excellence furnishes a schedule of these requisite characteris- 
tics, more in detail ; but the color, proportions, and general 
style of these birds, are enumerated thus — to suit my taste. 

The cock, for breeding purposes, should weigh twelve to 
thirteen pounds. His body color, if clear white both on surface 
and in under-color, is best for breeding to the average dark- 
hackled hens ; and there will come from such a sire (among the 
male chicks), a larger proportion of even-colored birds. 

His wing-tips or flight-feathers should be black, or clear black 
with narrow white-fringe. His tail should be clean metallic 
black. Back and tail coverts white — the white feathers run- 
ning well up over the tail, from the saddle. Breast full, and 
well rounded. Back straight, and wide between the shoulders. 
Wing-bows white feathered, and flanks very clear white. 



20 HOW TO BREED 

The comb should be low, firm in texture, upright, and per- 
fectly formed, for the " pea-comb " — with three distinct serra- 
tions ; the centre portion being the most prominent. Wattles 
small and well rounded, from base to under lines. A short 
stout beak, with horn-colored upper mandible, mainly. Legs 
not too long, but stout and straight from the hock, downward. 
Shanks well feathered to outer toe — and upon middle toe 
also, preferred. 

The wings should be well " tucked up " under the saddle ; 
and drooping or twisted wings should never be tolerated, any 
more than we should contenance the wry tail, on a breeder. 
Neck hackles must be clearly defined in the striping, or pencil- 
ling, but not too dark. The lighter the better — so that the 
hackles are clearly marked — upon the cock. 

The hen should be a white bodied bird of 11 to 12 pounds 
weight — as distinctly clear and pure in plumage as is the 
White Cochin — except in three places on the body, to wit : on, 
neck-hackles, tail, and wing-tips. 

The "pencilling" upon the neck must be distinct, and 
decided, each hackle-feather being clearly marked with the 
black stripe. The head smallish, comb perfect "pea," and bill 
smaller, but similarly colored to that of the cock. 

She should have an ample soft rising cushion, and her flanks 
— snow-white, throughout — should be full and fluffy. The 
tail coal-black, and wing-tips " black or nearly so." The latter 
should always be well tucked up, out of sight beneath the 
cushion, and her carriage should be stately and upright, from 
chickenhood to old age. She should also be full breasted, 
square bodied, though rangy, as well, in form, and compara- 
tively short legged, with shanks heavily feathered to the toes. 

Neither fowl should show the slightest indication of the 
" vulture hock " upon their limbs. This is not only extremely 
unsightly, but it is an absolute blemish, and a disqualification 
in the show room- — as it ought to be. 

The above mentioned characteristics are what we prefer for 
our breeding Light Brahmas. And when we use a dark hackled 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 21 

and dark under colored cock, of course we mate and breed him 
to the light-coloied neck-hackled hens — to obtain the most 
satisfactory average results. 

It has recently been well said that "few, excepting the more 
successful breeders, realize how important a part the proper 
mating of their breeding-stock plays in the rearing of exhibition 
birds. Premium or first-class fowls chosen for breeders simply 
because they are such, and regardless of their adaptation to 
each other, will but in a very limited measure guarantee progeny 
of a higher order than the average. Let a tyro in the business 
have his pick out of the premium pens in a show, to use for 
breeding in competition with a party well versed in the art, 
who has quite ordinary birds only at his command, (but all of 
them free from any glaring faults, and who has, moreover, a 
large number to select from, so that he may mate them judi- 
ciously,) and the chances are ten to one that the superior skill 
of the latter will carry the day." 

And this holds true, also, in regard to the method of breeding, 
generally. Unless the two sexes are so mated as that the pre- 
vailing color of one is properly balanced by its opposite color in 
the other sex, it is impossible to attain anything like uniformity 
among the chickens coming from such a union. 

The sooner this naturally determined fact is appreciated, 
fully, the better will be our birds and the higher will be the 
satisfaction reached, among either young or older Light Brahma 
cultivators, I am well convinced. 

Notwithstanding these now well-known facts, established 
through actual experience by all the best Light Brahma breed- 
ers in America, it is next to impossible to satisfy the novice or 
uninformed beginner, that he must conform to this method of 
careful mating, and "accept the inevitable " in attempting to 
grow good colored birds, or accomplish little or nothing in his 
breeding of these fowls, that will prove either creditable or 
satisfactory to him. 

We can only repeat, then, that the wiser plan for amateurs 
to follow, when they desire to commence to the best advantage 



22 



HOW TO BREED 




LIGHT BRAHMA COCK. BRED FROM COMEY'S STOCK. 



This is a very superior bird, and at two years old he reached 
nearly fifteen pounds weight. His color is especially fine ; and 
though light in the hackle, he has proved an excellent stock- 
getter. Some of the finest and best marked pullets I have 
raised in 1878 and ? 79 are from this sire. 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 23 

in breeding the Light Brahmas, is to obtain from some reliable 
fancier the first stock he buys, and make it a point with such 
a man to properly mate the birds he sends the novice, when he 
ships them. In this way a vast deal of disappointment will 
be avoided to the purchaser, who as a rule will save at least one 
year's time in his early experiments with this favorite breed. 

It certainly is not impossible that some inferior colored 
chicks may come from even this careful and practically judi- 
cious course. Yet from our own personal knowledge, and our 
familiar acquaintance with the results that have almost uni- 
formly followed such intelligent and appropriate matings, 
when made by the raisers of certain strains of improved Light 
Brahmas, we are confident that this mode is the best that can 
be adopted, for the benefit of both seller and purchaser. 

The cock shown on page 22 is a descendant of one of the 
most remarkable fowls America has ever seen, a good portrait 
of which is here presented — and whose sire was known some 
years ago, as 

COMEY'S " DUKE OF YORE:/' 

Notwithstanding the known facts I have already given in 
these pages, regarding the dark under-color and the darkish 
body -plumage which characterised the old " Autocrat " bird, 
and which peculiarity in feathering — in all the crossings of this 
blood, showed almost uniformly, as Mr. Felch asserts — it is 
also a fact that the " Duke of York " was a grandson of old 
"Autocrat;" bred by Mr. Estes, with some of the latter's 
hens, as we all know, now. 

These hens were in the possession originally of Mr. Phillips, 
who sold them to Mr. Estes, of New York, and they " were in 
foundation-blood," writes Mr. Felch, " the same as the stock 
sent to the Queen of England (in 1852) by Mr. G. P. Burnham." 

Now the " Duke of York " was very imlike his reputed grand- 
sire, old "Autocrat," in body plumage color. And his descend- 
ants — wherever I have seen them — have uniformly been of a 
much clearer and whiter hue, both in exterior feathering and 
in undernufl. 



24 HOW TO BREED 

Another noticeable difference between these two famous cock 
birds is seen in their shape and size. The "Duke of York" 
was immeasurably finer in form and purity of color, as com- 
pared with old " Autocrat ; " while in proportions, (although a 
large bird) he was not so heavily framed as was his progenitor. 

Either of these Growers however was big enough for any 
useful purpose, as breeders. And amongst the descendants of 
both, some enormous birds have been produced, at one time or 
another, by Mr. Comey, Mr. Williams, and other fanciers. 

To our taste the bod}^-color of the " Duke of York " was 
much the best; and I have seen hundreds of cockerels and 
pullets, bred clearly from this blood — in succession of gener- 
ations — that were vastly superior as a rule to those produced 
from the " Autocrat "' line, in every point excepting size, alone. 

With this extra size, as I have hinted^ come the deformities 
and the blemishes that all good Light Brahma breeders dread. 
And this is inevitable — anywhere, in any man's hands, I care 
not whose, to a greater or less extent, as I am able very clearly 
to demonstrate. 

Amongst these faults is the unsightly dark under-color upon 
cocks and hens, which for some years has been the occasion 
of disqualifying show-birds, in many an American Exhibition 
room ; when, but for this defect, they must have been winners 
of the leading premiums. 

In addition to this drawback, as soon as the poulterer 
attempts to breed these monstrous cocks and hens together, 
with a view to attaining size only, out crop the miserable, 
shaky, indefinite combs ; the knock-kneed shanks appear ; 
the tall gawky ponderous frame is secured ; but the tail is 
a- wry, or the wing-flights are so twisted as to destroy the 
bird's chance for recognition, by any judge in the country ! 

And these manifest errors in cultivation are what we have to 
warn the Light Brahma breeder against being drawn into 
perpetuating, through a sole desire to get birds of the "largest 
dimensions," without regard to the finer points which he 
should aim to attain. 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 25 

STANDARD POINTS FOR LIGHT BRAHMAS. 

The u American Standard of Excellence," a work put forth 
tinder the auspices and authority of the parent Poultry Asso- 
ciation in this country, is made up of tabulated schedules 
referring to all the breeds of improved fowls recognised as 
such in the United States ; and giving to the Judges at public 
fowl exhibitions a criterion with which they may be enabled to 
pass upon the merits of the birds shown, from time to time. 

The color of plumage which both sexes of all these varieties 
of fowls should carry, to be " duly qualified " for competition 
at these shows, is therein set down, and the general character- 
istics they should possess, are also in that book plainly speci- 
fied : such as shape of combs, color of ear lobes, markings of 
plumage, weights for age, etc. 

And among the list, we find one elaborate chapter detail- 
ing what the Brahma fowl should be, as to feather, form, car- 
riage, symmetry, &c, to come within the rules of accepta- 
tion, when placed on exhibition. 

We have our own notions about all this detail ; but the 
above mentioned is the only " standard " that breeders can be 
governed by, who wish to become exhibitors at American So- 
ciety shows ; and therefore we must conform to such authority. 

The standard provides that the Light Brahma cock must 
weigh twelve pounds, the hen ten pounds ; the cockerel ten 
pounds, and the pullet eight pounds, to come up to " standard 
weight." Over these weights, a point in the score is added 
for each pound ; under these weights, two points are deducted 
for every pound deficit. 

If a cock weighs less than nine pounds, a hen less than seven 
and a half pounds, a cockerel less than seven and a half pounds, 
or a pullet less than six pounds, each or either are " disquali- 
fied," and cannot compete for the prizes, being under weight. 

The color of the feathering of cocks and hens must be white, 
with distinct black stripings, or pencilling, upon hackles, black 
wing-tips, and tails. No brown or yellow feathers are any 
where allowed, upon the Brahmas. 



2G HOW TO BREED 

The head should be broad ; beak yellow, with a horn-colored 
stripe in the centre ; comb a low triple, or " pea-comb ; " neck 
of good length, with clearly defined hackles ; body full and 
well rounded ; legs yellow, and heavily feathered ; carriage 
upright and prompt ; fluff full and abundant, in soft feathering ; 
tail black, and well spread out; short sickle plumes, etc., and 
the under-color of a white or blueish white, without black 
running plainly into the web, &c, &c. 

For a twisted tail, or outer wing-plumes, for vulture hock, 
for not matching in age (when shown) in the coops, for having 
single combs, for crooked backs, or unfeathered legs, any Light 
Brahma bird, young or old, is at once disqualified, by Judges. 

Now, if the breeder of this fine variety, which takes rank 
first in the Standard list above mentioned, is desirous of pro- 
ducing fowls that he can go into the Shows with, and there 
hope to gain a great or lesser prize for his birds, amidst the 
competition he is bound to encounter, every season, he must 
commence upon sound principles of careful breeding ; and has 
something to do — first and last — - to enable him to be a 
winner, at the present day. 

As he will have discovered already, he must produce fowls 
possessing clear merit. They must be of good size, and fair in 
proportions. The body-color must be pure white, and the pen- 
cilling or marking clear black. They must have well-formed 
pea-combs, not too large, or falling over to one side, from weak- 
ness at the base. 

They should be full breasted, round bodied, wide backed, 
not too long legged, firm on their feet, straight limbed, well 
feathered upon shanks and toes, black tailed, black wing-tips, 
with full fledged flanks and cushion, bright yellow legs, clear 
white under color, (preferable,) and be in the best possible 
condition as to health and cleanliness, when placed on public 
exhibition. 

To effect this result, I claim that we must give due heed to 
the original mating ; and never leave this important and vital 
point to take care of itself, in a single instance. 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 27 

And these requirements, though numerous in detail, are not 
difficult to respond to, if we begin aright, and continue to man- 
age judiciously and systematically, in 

THE ACCEPTED METHOD OF BREEDING. 

This mode, as adopted by breeders of practical experience, 
is in no essential particular different, as a rule. To reach the 
same final results, and to arrive at precisely what ever} r man 
most ardently desires, the same general means must be availed 
of by all, to produce prime Standard Light Brahma fowls. 

Some of us may — and have — experimented longer, or more 
largely, in this work than have others. Some have tried more 
plans for" arriving at the wished for object, than have others. 

But all have been, and are now, compelled to follow the 
teaching of certain fixed natural laws and principles, that none 
of us can dodge, avoid, evade, or get over, to be successful in 
breeding these fowls, at their best. 

I have in mind as I write these lines such breeders as 
Messrs. Feich, Williams, Comey, Thompson, Buzzell, Ball, 
Todd, Bucknam, Josselyn — and a score of others I could 
mention — who have in the past fifteen years or more given a 
good share of studious attention to this specialty of breeding 
Light Brahmas, both systematically and sensibly, as well as 
artistically and successfully. 

To each or any one of these well known and reputable fan- 
ciers of my life-long favorites, I confidently appeal in support 
of my theory as to the means for adoption to obtain such 
Light Brahmas as they have bred, and such as /have succeed- 
ing in producing, from year to year, down to the present time. 

This method is in no wise* complicated, or difficult of com- 
prehension. But its rules are nevertheless exacting ; and these 
must be followed out implicitly, or failure will result. 

This, imprimis. 

I take no interest in the various theories that one or another 
tyro broaches, upon this subject, every now and then, through 
the public journals, because I know what I know about breed- 
ing Light Brahmas. 



28 



HOW TO BREED 



I have been studying, and experimenting, and reading, and 
practicing in this particular branch of improved fowl culture, 
for thirty long years. If I have not made myself conversant 
with most of the ins and outs of this business, I seriously 
doubt if I shall ever become an expert in the work. 

And here is what J advise. 




LIGHT BRAHMA PULLET, BRED BY G. P. BURNHAM, 1878. 

At the outset, invest no good money in inferior or doubtful 
stock. Buy no man's Light Brahma eggs for hatching, or his 
fowls for breeding purposes, which you are not beforehand 
satisfied are purely and properly bred. When there are so 
many good breeders of these birds who have for years made 
this variety almost exclusively their study, and who know so 
nearly what certain hues of plumage in the two sexes, when 
united, will reproduce — the novice has ample room for choice 
as to whom he will purchase of. 

There are some men who sell these popular birds for the 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 29 

ready money they will command, who know their stock are 
mongrels ; but who have no concern on that score, if they can 
get rid of them at paying prices. There are many men who 
deal in similar valueless stock, ms-called " Light Brahmas,'* 
who do not know that they have been gulled, themselves, and 
are deceiving others in their transactions. And there are too 
many who neither know or care what you get from them, so that 
you pay for what you order. 

Men are but human, and many poultry-dealing persons are 
especially so — in these latter days ! 

On the other hand, there are so great a proportion of the 
fowl fanciers in this country who are reliable, and honestly 
disposed, who will supply you with what you purchase of them 
justly and honorably, that } r ou have but to exercise the same 
degree of caution in this trade that }~ou would naturally use 
in any regular business matter, to secure fair treatment and 
satisfaction at their hands. 

Ascertain first, then, who you are about to deal with, and 
what is the real character of his stock. Satisfied that he is a 
square man, and a good breeder of Light Brahma stock, then 
order your eggs or chickens of him, pay him a fair price for 
them, and proceed ; content that you will get what you bar- 
gained for — no more, no less. 

If such a breeder ships you fowls or chickens, ask him to 
mate the trio properly, so that you may look for the best aver- 
age results when you come to set the eggs the hens or pullets 
may lay upon your premises. 

This simple thing every fowl breeder ought to do, in his 
customer's interests, without solicitation. And many promi- 
nent dealers advertise to do this, in advance — a practice I 
have myself followed, for years. 

When you possess yourself of such birds as I have described, 
from such a man as I have now referred to, breed them as he 
has instructed or may advise you to do. And do not attempt 
any experiments with them, until you have proved their value 
and genuineness, or the contrary. 



30 HOW TO BREED 

You will find upon their receipt, if they are well matured 
birds, that the cockerel and pullets (or the cock and hens, as 
the case may be), are not marked precisely alike, in the pen- 
cilling of their necks. One is considerably lighter or darker 
than the others. This is as it should be. 

You purchased this trio — a male and two females — to breed 
Light Brahma chickens from ; not for exhibition purposes, 
remember. Out of these birds, if you begin with them in the 
spring of the year, possibly you may obtain a trio or two 
of chicks that at the succeeding annual show in your neigh- 
borhood will astonish your friends, and prove winners. But 
these are breeding-stock, and not Show Fowls. 

You wanted both ? 

Well ! This you cannot have, my good friend, in the same 
pair or trio, as I have already informed you, in previous pages. 
You did not so order them, and you must not expect this. 

The breeder who forwards your young stock, (if you trade 
with an honest man), will frankly tell you that the " well 
matched " cocks and hens to be seen in the show-pens, at 
public exhibitions, are not what you want for hreeding-bivds. 

So, if you are anxious to own the former, before you have 
time to grow them from the trio you may have purchased for 
breeders, you must order a second pair, or trio,, for the Shows, 
When these reach you, } r ou will see at a glance that they are 
another style of birds, and the price (it may be) according to 
their superiority, will be decidedly a different matter. 

EXPLANATION OF WHAT IS " A FOWL'S RECORD." 

The editor of the " American Poultry Yard " gives us the 
following clear explanation of the term frequently inquired 
about and referred to as " a fowls public record." 

" The ' record ' of a cock or hen is the official anounce- 
ment of its recorded scoring at a public exhibition. It is 
analagous to the official record of a race-horse, or a trotter. 
We see a horse announced as trotting ' for a purse,' or ' against 
time,' and he wins in 2:20. This establishes his record. If 
he subsequently makes better time, say 2:18, on a future 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 31 

occasion, then his ' record ' would be 2:18, for a mile and 
so on. 

" In the application of this term to prize-winning fowls, the 
word ' record ' refers exclusively to the score, or number of 
points recorded at a public show in their favor. For example, 
a cock is scored by a Judge as marking 96 points ; or a hen 95 
points. This constitutes their official 'record.' These same 
birds may subsequently, at another show, be scored by other 
judges (under less favorable circumstances perhaps), at 90 or 
92 points, only. This does not affect their original better 
record — any more than would the time-record of the horse be 
affected, should he lose a race (or trot his mile after he had first 
performed it in 2:18), in 2:26. By the same rule, if a fowl at 
first marking a score of 95, shall at a subsequent show be 
fairly scored 98 points, then this higher score becomes his best 
' record.' 

" If a cock or hen with this scoring, wins a ' special ' money 
prize or other special premium, in addition to winning regular 
prizes, on account of his best scoring — it has nothing to do 
with his ' record.' This is a matter of points, only. And a 
bird may win or lose subsequently to the official declaration 
accorde4 him as to the highest number of points he scores. 
This alone constitutes the public 'record.' If he afterwards 
chances to win elsewhere a $50 cash 'special' premium, this 
may gratify his owner, or add to his reputation, perhaps. But 
this winning does not refer to his actual ' record ' at all ; since 
(even though he may win such ' special ' in another show) it 
often occurs that at such latter exhibition his scoring is three, 
four, or five points below his original score — in the opinion 
of another judge, and for good reasons. 

" He may not be in such fine condition as he was when 
he gained his original ' record.' He may not be so heavy by a 
pound or two. He may have lost a sickle feather. He may 
have been unfortunate in having his comb frost-bitten, and so 
disfigured, in the interim between two shows. He may show 
traces of roupy affection, from having, since he was first scored, 



82 HOW TO BREED 

taken cold. All these mishaps combined, or any of them, will 
inevitably impair his beauty, and serve rightfully to reduce his 
chances for the original high score he obtained. 

" But all this does not change his first decided excellence — 
and his best score (whatever this may be) in number of points, 
publicly declared by an official judge, is all that the term record 
implies. This record may be registered in the American Poulty 
Pedigree Book, for subsequent reference, if desired ; but no 
future good or ill fortune, as to what prizes a bird may win, 
has anything to do with this ' record' when once established. " 

Having giving you some hints, thus far, as to how you should 
proceed with your young breeders, I will now tell you some- 
thing that may interest you, perhaps more especially, 

ABOUT GROWING PRIZE BRAHMAS. 

Mr. H. H. Stoddard, editor of the "Poultry World," has 
recently put forth an excellent little volume, giving concise and 
valuable directions as to the production and rearing of Prize- 
winning Fowls, generally. 

My present suggestions refer only to the treatment of my 
own specialty, the Light Brahmas ; of which, every year, I 
breed many trios that I sell, by themselves, explicity as 
exhibition birds. 

In the Show season, every one who is so fortunate as to 
possess a few extra samples of these popular birds, is ambitious 
to get his pets before the public eye ; for every fancier is prone 
to think that his birds are a little finer than are those of his 
enterprising neighbors, and that they are destined to be win- 
ners at the exhibitions, certain. 

This is a laudable kind of self-assurance, and serves to en- 
courage not only the expectant premium-gainer, but it prompts 
his competitors to put forth their best efforts to excel him. 
And so the general good quality of these choice fowls is 
constantly being enchanced, and their fine points continually 
improved upon, as we progress in our work, from year to year. 

Some of the very finest Light Brahmas I ever raised myself, 
and many of the choicest birds at a year old, or thereabout, 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 



33 



that I ever saw on exhibition in our American Show-rooms, 
were fall and winter chickens, that had been hatched early in 
the spring, say in February or March, previously. 

A cockerel and pullet of the Felch strain of Light Brahmas, 
as above described, I give drawings of on this and next pages. 
These engravings represent birds about a year old, fully grown* 




LIGHT BRAHMA COCK, (FELCH STRAIN".) 



They will be recognized by those acquainted with Mr. Felch's 
stock, as very good likenesses of a pair of his well bred young 



31 



HOW TO BREED 



fowls, of a strain that he prides himself upon having es- 
tablished, after several years of careful and intelligent mating 
and selection among his best breeders. 




LIGHT BRAHMA HEN, TWO YEARS OLD. 

Birds of this grade and quality for breeding-stock are 
amongst the most valuable we have, in Mr. F's. opinion, inas- 
much as he breeds closely to pedigrees, from the different 
families of Brahmas that he selects from time to time. 

These excellences he has blended together through a long se- 
ries of experiments carefully manipulated, until he has reduced 
the details of his system to a very fine thing in producing annu- 
ally his well formed, good colored, and beautifully shaped Light 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 35 

Brahmas, that so frequently carry off the palm in the show 
rooms, amongst very sharp competition. 

To grow such Light Brahmas as these, that delineated on 
page 28, or those portrayed in our frontispiece, and follow it 
up, requires some experience, and more than a year or two of 
trial in the business, it may well be believed. 

But the older fanciers, who have so long devoted their best 
skill and attention to cultivating this particular class, have 
done so much towards perfecting their several " strains " of 
Light Brahma stock, that they can now accomplish this with 
comparative ease. And when the new beginners wisely pur- 
chase the stock they want of these men, more than " half the 
battle " is gained at the outset, by the novice 5 who thencefor- 
ward will find his anxiety and doubts about the purity of the 
blood he starts out with, much lessened, while he will lose no 
time experimenting, the first season. 

And this is a grand advantage. More than half the spring 
and fall purchases of Light Brahma stock that are made all 
over this country, are made by novices and by amateurs who 
know little or nothing about these fowls themselves, and who 
buy them at hap-hazard, of men who know perhaps quite as 
little of the real merits (or faults) of the stock they sell) as do 
their customers. 

Then they breed them, or grow them from young chicks ; and 
upon maturing, they make the discovery that " the Light 
Brahmas, after all, are not so desirable a variety " as from their 
reputation they had supposed them to be. The whole year is 
thrown away, and they must begin again, since they have not 
been cultivating Light Brahmas at all, but have simply wasted 
their money and their time, unluckily, on mere half-breeds, or 
mongrel birds ! 

Mr. Felch's theory (and practice) is good. He contends 
that the sire should be of the highest individual quality, and 
he should have a pedigree, or record, showing his breeding 
qualities to be the result of ancestral blood ; claiming, as other 
prime stock breeders do, that if we choose the highest type to 



36 HOW TO BREED 

perform the paternal act, we can in succession repeat the de- 
sired typical creation. And if we can "find two parents that 
possess or represent the original idea, in any organism, we can 
repeat the original idea." 

No doubt this is fundamental in principle, for all experience 
teaches us that it is only from the best originals that we can 
breed the best progeny. Starting out with this sensible basis, 
the amateur may achieve success at an early day, in greater or 
less degree. And by cultivating such stock, at the beginning 
of his operations, can he alone hope to produce such birds as 
will compete with those grown by older breeders. 

For this reason, we urge it upon all who contemplate com- 
mencing their poultry-raising career with a view to enter 
the arena of competition with probable prize-winning Light 
Brahmas, that they begin at the right time, with the right 
strains, and follow out the right method, to accomplish this 
desirable object. 

We do not intend, now, to convey the impression that Mr. 
Burnham, Mr. Felch, Mr. Williams, Mr. Comey, Mr. Buzzell, 
or Mr. Anybody, especially, is the man to whom the novice 
should give a preference, when he desires to purchase prime 
Light Brahma stock. 

These are representative men* All of them breed good 
fowls, exhibit fine samples annually, win prizes constantly, and 
give their patrons respectively average satisfaction in their 
dealings with them. But we have mentioned these and other 
gentlemen in these pages, because we know them personally, 
and because we know just what their Light Brahma stock is, 
to-day. Any of it is good enough* 

Look through the advertising columns of your poultry jour- 
nals, monthly or weekly, for the address of the proficient 
breeders of this coveted Variety. You will find in the " Poul- 
try World," the " American Poultry Yard," or elsewhere, a 
grand array of names of men who cultivate this choice stock, 
to great perfection. Prominent among these, are the breeders 
to whom I have referred. 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 37 

Procure from your chosen source such eggs for hatching, or 
cocks and hens for breeding, as you may desire, and make it a 
point to have the chickens or fowls properly mated by the 
seller before they leave his yards. 

He knows better than you do, what you want. If you 
intend to grow your own birds from these, the seller will send 
you properly " mated stock," that will turn you out the better 
average chicks. If you seek birds " matched for exhibition," 
he will understand your wish, and conform to it, very cheer- 
fully, if you are content to pay him his price for such choice. 

But in making this latter named purchase, it is of conse- 
quence that you learn, through correspondence, just what he 
can furnish you, before you close your trade. Then there is 
little room afterwards for fault-finding, or discussion, with any 
honorable fancier. In either case 

GET THE EARLIEST HATCHED CHICKENS 

you can procure of these men. And if you undertake to hatch 
them, yourself, get out the young ones in February or March, 
if convenient, when they are intended for exhibition uses. 

Such chicks — if you can manage to carry them through the 
cold weeks of April and May, safely — will, in very large pro- 
portion, turn out the heaviest birds in the succeeding fall ; and 
they will grow much more rapidly after cold weather sets in, 
in November and December, on account of the better start 
they get during the long summer months. 

They should be hatched under hen-mothers, (not in an in* 
cubating machine,) Hot this purpose ; and if possible, in a glass- 
roofed house. At any rate, at this early time of the year, it is 
next to useless to attempt to do any thing with them, unless 
they can be accommodated with warm, dry, well sheltered 
quarters. And, from the shell, whenever the sun shines, they 
should have the full benefit of its warming rays. 

The coop in which they must, at first, for several weeks be 
confined, should be kept scrupulously clean, Both the hen 
and her brood must be carefully preserved from attacks of lice. 
Their food should be of the best, — and varied, too, from the 



38 HOW TO BREED 

time they are two or three weeks old, until they can run upon 
the new grass, in May and June. 

Their soft bran and meal feed should invariably be thor- 
oughly scalded, and if milk can be substituted for water, both 
as a drink and for mixing their cooked mash with, the advan- 
tage is very palpable. Nothing suits the young birds so 
admirably as will this provision. 

Through the months of March and April — or, say for three 
months after the chicks are hatched — they will for most of 
the time, (in our northern climate), be limited to the coop or 
small chicken-house, where they first " see the light." 

While thus confined, they must have extra care, or they will 
fail, and die off. They are very delicate, and the early frigid 
weather is against them, decidedly. The hen-mother will do 
her part towards keeping them comfortable ; but they must not 
be exposed to the cold air, much, until they begin to get the 
feathers upon their tender bodies. 

As soon as the May grass starts, they may enjoy the out-of- 
doors run. Give them range, fresh air, good cooked and dry 
food, plenty of milk, still — if you have it — and an occa- 
sionally feed of bone and finely chopped meat; and watch 
them as they grow, from this time, forward. 

We have had four to five months old Light Brahma cock- 
chicks, thus treated, that would draw six and seven pounds, 
each — by the dozen — in a good season. At eight months 
of age, these same cockerels would weigh nine to ten pounds. 
And at eleven to twelve months old, we have seen them that 
drew thirteen to almost fourteen pounds, apiece. 

Well fed — these fellows ! 

Of course they were well fed .5 and well provided for, also. 

And if the amateur supposes for a moment that he can pro- 
duce such birds without this nice care and extra keeping, he 
may undeceive himself, at once, upon this point. It cannot be 
done, in any other way. 

" But this entails a deal of trouble," we hear another novice 
exclaim* 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 



39 




40 HOW TO BEEED 

All, well. So it does, young man ! And if to obtain such 
samples of Light Brahmas as I have now briefly described 
are not worth this amount of trouble to you, save yourself the 
pains-taking it involves. You can't grow good Brahma fowls, 
that is clear ! 

HOW TO SELL GOOD FOWL STOCK. 

It is one thing to raise good stock, and another thing to 
dispose of it to advantage, when one may have it to sell. We 
have now stated what is requisite, in a general way, for the 
successful production of Light Brahma Fowls, of the quality 
and merit that will be likely, when entered at the American 
Poultry Shows of to-day, to prove winners of the leading 
prizes, from time to time. 

When the fortunate breeder of such superior stock has 
advanced so far as that it becomes desirable he should dispose 
of it, or a portion of it, there is one thing more which he will 
find it necessary to do, to complete his success in this business. 
And this is, to adopt the best means in advertising it that can 
be availed of, to inform the buying public that he possesses such 
fine birds, and has them for sale. 

To render this important measure effective, and valuable to 
him, we advise him to invest his money in advertising his fowls 
" where it will do him the most good," if he attempts this at 
all. ■ It costs something to do this properly, and in a poultry 
magazine that has a liberally extensive circulation. 

To pay out good money for placing such advertisements in 
papers that are seen or read by but a few scattered scores or 
hundreds of indifferent people, monthly, is sheer folly, and 
the very poorest kind of economy. And many a young 
beginner who has tried the plan of advertising in these cheap 
periodicals, has thus spent his money for naught. 

Go to the right source, then, when you wish to make your 
stock known. The " Poultry World " monthly, and the "Amer- 
ican Poultry Yard" weekly, published at Hartford, Conn., are 
now well known, this country over, to be the poultry papers 
that are really worth patronizing ; for the reason that these two 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 



41 



publications have always been devoted exclusively to the one 
general subject of fowl-raising and its belongings, and they go 
everywhere and in immense numbers, regularly, wherever a 
poultryman dwells in the land — east, north, west, and south. 

Advertising in these two poultry publications will pay you. 
I have tried them all, first and last. I have foolishly spent 
hundreds upon hundreds of dollars in other papers and poul- 
try journals, in the last seven years ; but I have actually 
received more cash orders for fowls and poultry-books from my 
advertisements in H. H. Stoddard's two papers, above men- 
tioned — twenty times over — than I ever received from 
advertising in any other way, and fifty times more than I ever 
heard of from advertising in any other poultry publication in 
the United States. 

I give this testimony voluntarily, because it is strictly true. 




LIGHT BRAHMA PULLET, TWELVE MONTHS OLD. 



42 HOW TO BREED 

I have realized this benefit myself, and I would have those 
who wish to get their money's worth, in this way, know where 
and how they may similarily be served and profited, when they 
have good fowls to sell, and want to know how. they may best 
make this fact known to those most likely to be their pur- 
chasers — in any part of this country. 

On page 41 is a good representation of a Light Brahma 
pullet, of the Felch stock, a companion to the cockerel por- 
trayed on page 33. 

Few strains of this race have been bred so nicely and uni- 
formly, in considerable numbers, as has this " pedigree " blood 
in the hands of Mr. F. But it is not of the heavy weight class. 

Mr. F. is a stickler for good points, pure color, finely formed 
pea-combs, symmetrical proportions, and general first-class 
characteristics in his stock. But he is content to breed twelve 
pound cocks and ten pound hens, for his maximum in mature 
fowls, rather than run the risk of distorting and deforming his 
own birds, by crossing in the mammoth blood of the larger- 
framed lines upon his well established, handsome, and popular 
B rah mas. 

From among the product of some, or any, of these different 
strains which I have now mentioned — to wit, the Williams, 
the Burnham, the Comey, the Felch, the Todd, the Buzzell, 
and I may add the Dibble, and the Woodward, (of Conn.) 
strains — it will be safe and politic for any young fancier in 
the country to select his Light Brahma breeding stock, or order 
the higher class of specimens, recognized as Exhibition birds. 

The buyer cannot go far astray in accepting this recommen- 
dation, because all these men have a reputation to maintain, 
and they know what good birds are, in this particular breed, 
however much or little they may know about the other im- 
proved varieties of American fowl stock. 

They have been studiously engaged in this business for 
years, and they have shown ability and competency in their 
work, as well as honorable pride in doing their work well. 
Each has contributed, in his own peculiar sphere, to make the 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 



43 



Light Brahma what it is, to-day, and to place this admirable 
and beautiful domestic fowl where it now stands, — at the head 
of the list, — in all the attributes that go to make up the best 
of its species. And to attain such prominence, though its 
accomplishment has been measurably a pleasant task which has 
been fairly remunerated, it has been achieved through many 
trials, much labor, and oftentimes serious disappointment. 




PAIR OF LIGHT BRAHMAS. 

I do not intend by my suggestion, that very early hatched 
Brahma chickens only will invariably prove the finest in the 
succeeding fall or winter ; because it frequently happens that 
birds got out in April, or even as late as in May, during a spe- 
cially fine summer that may follow, will come up very rapidly ; 
and, in November or December, equal the first hatched chick- 
ens in weight and size. 

Still, as a rule, I have found from experience that if a few 
such chickens can be started in February, under favorable cir- 
cumstances, and if they can be kept under a glazed roof, in 
dry quarters, and have extra attention during the severe 
weather of early spring-time, they will amply pay for the 



44 HOW TO BEEED 

trouble. And many that I have thus grown have proved win- 
ners at the succeeding exhibitions, at ten to twelve months 
of age. What the young chickens especially need at any sea- 
son of the year, while passing through the period when they 
are so slightly sheltered with the first thin down that covers 
their tender bodies, is constant warmth, dry quarters, all the 
sunlight available within their coops, and dry, crumbly, cooked 
soft food, that is nutritious and easily digestible ; and this 

should be fed to them four or five times dailv. 

%/ 

The warmth should be that which the body of the hen- 
mother naturally affords in " brooding " her little ones. Arti- 
ficial heat, like that from a stove placed within the hen-house, 
is absolutely worse than the cold atmosphere. 

I have tried this experiment thoroughly and repeatedly, and 
I never yet found such heat either serviceable or healthful. 
Steam-heat, or pipe-heat, like that used to warm a green-house 
for instance, may answer. But this is too expensive, and very 
few poultry-raisers have this kind of convenience on their 
premises, any way. 

THE POULTRY EXHIBITION BOOM 

is the arena, finally,' where most of these higher class fowls are 
destined to be seen, in competition, at some period of their 
lives. This is the purpose largely for which they are bred, 
whatever use they may be put to before or after such exhibi- 
tions — as breeders, or otherwise. 

It is the ambition of the owners of such superior birds, how- 
ever — whether he is the original breeder of them, or only their 
purchaser, a few da} r s or weeks prior to the show season — to 
have his admired favorites take the front rank, if possible, 
when he thus places them beside the contributions of other 
fanciers, in competition for the prizes and the honors to be 
gained, upon these pleasant occasions of friendly rivalry. 

It does not always happen that the real 'producer of the Light 
Brahma prize birds at our Exhibitions is the winner of the pre- 
miums. Indeed, this result is the exception, rather than the rule.' 

Mr. Felch is not himself a public exhibitor of his own stock. 



LIGHT BEAHMA FOWLS. 



45 




DUPLICATE OF THE CAGE AND LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS SENT TO QUEEN 
VICTORIA IN 1852, BT GEO. P. BUBNHAM, OF MELROSE, MASS., 

As exhibited by him at the State Shoios in Connecticut, and Maine, in Jan. and Feb., 1878. 



46 HOW TO BREED 

Mr. Comey individually does not enter his birds, at the shows, 
at all. Mr. Burnham has been an exhibition competitor, per- 
sonally, but three times in the past fifteen years. 

Yet the Light Brahmas produced by these three leading 
breeders, have carried off the bulk of all the prizes that have 
been awarded at American Shows, for the last score of years. 

The winning fowls have been furnished by these gentlemen, 
but the premiums have gone to subsequent owners, who have 
accepted the awards and honors, very frequently without any 
credit being accorded to the party who bred the birds. 

And to all this the originators of this fine stock make no 
objection, since it has become customary for the owner of the 
birds to take the credit that attaches to these lucky contribu- 
tions ; for which, usually, he pays high prices. Mr. Williams is 
an extensive breeder, and a large exhibitor, also. But he sup- 
plies hundreds of winners to others who show them, and which 
gain prizes frequently among the best that are seen, in different 
parts of the country. 

On page 45 we give an accurate drawing of the duplicate 
" Queen's Cage and Fowls" about which some curiosity has 
been evinced. The author of this book had the honor of pre- 
senting to her Majesty Queen Victoria (in 1852) such a cage 
of beautiful Light Brahmas as are there shown — and at Hart- 
ford and Portland, in 1878, this duplicate cage and contents 
were exhibited, to the admiration of thousands who thronged 
both those fine Shows, for several days in succession. 

As this event was an exceptional affair in the history of 
American poultry exhibiting, and as it gave rise to some com- 
ment at the time, we transfer to these pages the editorial 
remarks that appeared in the Hartford " Poultry World " upon 
this subject, which will give the reader a good idea of that 
interesting incident. 

This was a very meritorious exhibition — where the large 
number of really A 1 Light Brahma fowls gathered together 
surprised not only the public, but the well known breeders, 
themselves ! And here is what Mr. H. H. Stoddard had to 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 47 

say about it in his magazine, soon after the close of the exhi- 
bition at Hartford, Conn., under the title caption-line of 

44 UNPRECEDENTED SCORING." 

44 At the late annual exhibition of the Connecticut State 
Poultry Society, held at Hartford, a chief feature of the show 
was afforded in the superior contributions of standard Light 
Brahma fowls and chickens, entered by Messrs. Philander Wil- 
liams, of Taunton, Geo. P. Burnham, of Melrose, and J. E. 
Bullock, of Providence, who competed there for the $100 gold 
prize, offered 4 for the finest and most attractive cage of any 
variety of Chinese Fowls, not less than eight Standard speci- 
mens.' 

44 The scoring of these magnificent and colossal specimens of 
Asiatics on this occasion, was beyond comparison the most re- 
markable that has ever come under our observation. And as 
every one who visited the Exhibition evinced so keen an inter- 
est in the scaling of the four judges who decided on the nicely 
balanced 4 points ' of these birds, we have accurately copied 
from the original cards in possession of the Secretary, the de- 
tails of the 4 score,' which we here 4 place upon record,' for the 
information of all who desire to learn the important result. 

44 Mr. Williams won the $100 prize by five and a quarter points 
only, in a scoring of seven hundred and thirty-seven points. 
All the birds scaled away up in the nineties, as is seen by the 
following official record of the judges. We append the result — 
which is the most remarkable instance of close scoring we ever 
knew ; and which will stand alone, in our opinion, in. its 
entirety, for all the future, where so large a number of choice, 
well-bred, mammoth Light Brahmas are considered, together. 
The aggregate ratings of each cage of eight Light Brahmas 
which were entered for this prize, (being the number of points 
reached out of a possible 800,) were Philander Williams, 736J ; 
Geo. P. Burnham, 731 3-16; James E. Bullock, 700 f. 

The winner of this prize by so small a number of points 
over the aggregate given by four judges to the next competi- 
tor, merely shows how nearly balanced was all this superb 



48 HOW TO BREED 

stock, and also the character of the Light Brahmas that are 
owned and bred by both Mr. Burnharn and Mr. Williams. We 
but reiterate the universal opinion expressed by all who saw 
the unrivalled competitive display made between these two 
accomplished veterans, that the eight representative birds in 
the ' Queen's cage,' shown by Mr. Burnham, of Melrose, and 
the eight in Mr. Williams's cage, were, every one of them, 
nearly perfect ; and all were surpassingly beautiful, as well as 
intrinsically first-class in points and quality. And here we 
give a detailed account from the official record of the separate 
scoring of all the judges, upon each individual bird, as returned 
by Messrs. Bradley, Woodward, Carpenter and Hudson; a 
grand result for the owners of the extraordinary birds shown 
at Hartford by these exhibitors. 

OFFICIAL SCORING OF 24 LIGHT BRAHMAS, AT HARTFORD, JAN. 11, 1878. 



Philander Williams' score of Eight Birds. 
BvG. W. ByB. S. ByE. ByP.W. 
Bradley. Woodward. Carpenter. Hudson. 
Cockerel, 87 
Pullet, 93| 
Hen, 90f 
Hen, 92 

Pullet, 91i 
Pullet, 95* 
Hen, 93| 

Pullet, 94i 



Geo. P. Burnham' s score of Eight Birds. 

ByG. W. ByB. S. ByE. ByP.W. 
Bradley. Woodward. Carpenter. Hudson. 



85* 


87* 


87* 


Pullet, 


98| 


98| 


98^ 


961 


93* 


93* 


94| 


Pullet, 


93| 


93i 


921 


901 


91| 


91 


91| 


Hen, 


92 


92i 


901 


891 


92* 


911 


89* 


Pullet, 


89* 


89* 


89* 


88 


91£ 


9li 


89* 


Pullet, 


8b| 


89* 


871 


86J 


93i 


95i 


92 


Hen, 


88i 


891 


90i 


86i 


93| 


94| 


93£ 


Cock, 


94± 


94| 


94i 


921 


95* 


93i 


93 


Cock, 


91 


90 


90 


87* 



736* 7371 733* 717 

Average of Mr. Burnhani's total score, 731 3-16. 



7381 737 738i 731J. 

Average of Mr. Williams' total score, 73(54;. 

"Mr. Bullock's total scoring by the four judges, gave him an 
average total of 700J points, against Mr. Williams's total of 
736J, and Mr. Burnham' s total of 731 3-16. The above two 
tables of details we quote, only ; Mr. Bullock's score being so 
much lower than those of the other two competitors, as to ren- 
der the labor of tabulating unnecessary. 

" These three scorings were added together, separately, for 
each mail's birds, and the whole divided by four, to give each 
competitor the average result we have announced in the third 
paragraph of this article. The reader who will carefully ex- 
amine the above figures, will not fail to observe one or two 
facts in the decision which was arrived at. Upon each and 
every one of Mr. Burnhani's birds, three of the judges, includ- 




A. MATCHED TRIO OW 



PRIZE LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS, 

BRED BY GEO. P. BURNHAM, 1878, 79, 

MELROSE, MASS. 



The above three birds are out of the old pair portrayed in the Chromo 
frontispiece to this book. The cock was hatched February 10th, and the 
pullets March 5th, 1878. From these pullets, bred back to the old cock, I 
have over thirty chicks, hatched since February 20th, 1879. 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 49 

ing the chairman, agreed in their markings to within a very 
few points throughout the whole, and the aggregates of these 
three judges were, also, very nearly alike ; while the fourth 
judge, on every one of Mr. B.'s fowls, marked them two to 
three points lower than did the others, giving him an aggregate 
of about twenty points less than did the other three. 

"In the scaling of Mr. Williams's birds, the four judges more 
nearly agreed ; so that the reduced scoring of each of Mr. 
Burnham's fowls, by one of the judges, turned the scales in 
Mr. W.'s favor. It was a marvelously nice piece of work, all 
this, and reflects not a little credit upon the judges, in this in- 
stance, for their care in the estimates attained. And the fact 
that all these four experts should have arrived so nearly to al- 
most an unanimous conclusion, in this interesting contest, 
(neither knowing until the final aggregate count was made, 
what any other judge had scored,) affords ample evidence that 
they understood their duty and performed it faithfully." 
SCORING FOWLS FOR " POINTS," 

is a work performed by our duly "authorized judges" in the 
exhibition rooms ; and is a nice operation, when well done. 
But we have very few experts in this country who are strictly 
qualified for this duty, where the excellent qualities of high- 
class Light Brahmas are involved, in close competition. 

Referring to the instance we have just quoted, so very 
neatly chronicled in the article we copy from the "Poultry 
World," it will be seen that the Light Brahmas scored upon 
that occasion were accorded very creditable figures in, the 
scale, by four different judges, three of whom agreed (in the 
higher markings) almost to a fraction ; giving to one of the 
pullets, grown by myself, 98| points. 

When this same pullet was a second time scored, for the $100 
gold prize which, with her mate, she won at Portland, the two 
judges who passed upon her there, a month afterwards, gave 
her a score of only 93J and 95J- points respectively. Thus 
showing that poultry judges, like doctors, are apt to disagree 
in their opinion. 



50 HOW TO BREED 

Now this business of scoring or scaling birds is not under- 
stood, generally ; and so I will briefly explain its details, as I 
find them set down recently in a poultry magazine. 

The editor, in speaking of the " American Standard," says 
truly that there are thousands of poultrymen every year who 
have to learn for the first time that this book exists, or what 
is the nature of its contents — and adds that, " This book is 
gotten up with care, under the auspices of the American Poul- 
try Association, especially for the purpose of affording the fra- 
ternity a guide, whereby they may understand what the 
" standard points " are, and what the novice must do to ap- 
proach as nearly as possible to perfection in breeding. 

The phrase " standard points," signifies the marks of quality 
determined by the American Poultry Association in its Stand- 
ard, scoring from one to one hundred points — and relates to 
the features of fowls — such as symmetry, color, shape, size, 
form, plumage, comb, etc., to each of which portions of the 
bird's general make up a certain number of the "points " that 
go to form the aggregate 100 are apportioned, for the guidance 
of judges in making their awards. 

For instance, the division of standard " points " set down in 
the book referred to for one kind of fowl may be in substance 
as follows : 

Symmetry, -------10 

Condition, - - - - - - - 10 

Station, ------- 10 

Color, ------- 20 

Size and Weight, 15 

Comb and Wattles, - 5 

Wings, ------- 8 

Tail, -------- 5 

Neck, ,-, 5 

Feet, -■ 7 

Ear-Lobes, - - - - - - -5 

Total points, ■* - ^ 100 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 51 

This list is given only as an example. Varieties of fowls 
differ in the apportionment ; but this scale represents the prin- 
ciple. Now, when a judge comes to pass upon a fowl in the 
show-room, if he adheres to the regulations of the Standard, 
he takes this estimate as a basis to judge from, and examines 
the bird to which this quoted scale refers. As he proceeds, he 
deducts for defects from the maximum number of points in such 
division — as one for imperfect comb, two for poor neck, three 
for bad condition, four for lack of symmetry, and so on — 
reducing the possible aggregate of 100 points, just so many as 
the palpable defects of the bird will warrant. These " cut 
downs " are subtracted from the whole number (100) that the 
fowl may attain to (but very rarely does!) and he reports a 
score say of 100, minus 10 — or 90 points. 

As we have hinted, each kind of bird recognized in the 
Standard has a separate division of the 100 " standard points " 
set under the variety in the book mentioned. 

And we add that if the judges understand their business, 
if they are honest and impartial in their decisions, and if they 
appreciate the suggestions and instructions contained in this 
work, (which is printed by the American Poultry Association 
expressly for their guidance and benefit), contributors will 
ordinarily stand a fair chance to get justice done them, in the 
exhibition room. 

But are all our Judges thus competent ? Do they so com- 
prehend the details of their duty ? And will they steer clear 
of outside influences, their own prejudices, and partisan bias, 
always — in their decisions ? 

For the honor of the craft we most heartily wish it might be 
thus. But we have known many instances where such jus- 
tice was neither obtained or obtainable, in American Show 
rooms — we regret to say. 

Yet this is the finality that breeders must encounter. And 
we place these regulations and requirements before the readers 
of this little work, for the purpose of showing them what they 
must do, what they are bound to meet with, and what the 



52 HOW TO BREED 

nature of the contest for superiority is — in the attempt to 
breed and show winning birds. 

HOW ADVERTISING WILD PAY, 

It is not yet fully and generally appreciated by ambitious 
poultry-raisers, how important a part in their ultimate pecu- 
niary success the business of advertising plays. But if those 
who read these pages will reflect upon the following facts, 
there will be few who will remain unconvinced that judicious 
advertising — when we have to offer anything worth selling — 
will pay them for the outlay. 

An advertisement in a really well circulated paper of the 
right kind, is the very best of all salesmen. It never sleeps, it 
never wearies, it goes for business early and late ; it appeals 
to the merchant in his store, the mechanic at home, the scholar 
in his study, the lawyer in his office ; it is in ten thousand 
different places at the same moment, it quietly catches the eye 
of thousands of readers, every time it is printed; and it speaks 
the right word, at the right time, in the right place, in the 
pleasantest and best possible manner. 

Your advertisement pays no railroad fares, it costs nothing 
for hotel charges, it has no travelling expenses ; but attends to 
its legitimate work steadily, soberly, surely — free of all 
" incidentals," in outlay, while it ensures you ample returns 
first or last. 

A good advertisement, in the proper channel, secures you 
business that you can obtain in no other way. If placed in a 
well known reliable paper or magazine, appropriate to the 
purpose, it serves as a guarantee in advance to those who would 
be your patrons, of fair and honorable treatment at }~our hands. 
And experience has shown that through this means, only, can 
any man earn fame — and, as a sequence, prosperity to any ex- 
tent — in the fowl trade. 

It is not advertising wisely, however, to spend money reck- 
lessly upon publications that never have had and never will 
have a good circulation among those to whom you wish to 
address yourself. Scarcely a year passes that does not see the 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. ' 53 

sudden advent of one or more of these ephemeral and useless 
" poultry magazines." But they soon die out, for lack of sup- 
port, and disappear. 

Waste no money in advertising on these frauds. There are 
very few now left of near a dozen of these sickly monthlies, 
called " poultry journals," that have thus been started in the 
past few years. These are well nigh "played out," and will 
soon be forgotten. But if you invest at all, in this kind 
of venture, put your money where it will do you good service. 

Pay no attention to the reckless announcements of these 
newly-fledged boasters, about their "great circulation." Bear 
in mind the patent fact that no paper or magazine on earth ever 
starts out with " a large circulation." The obtaining of a list 
of subscribers and patrons to any periodical is a work of time, 
of years, ordinarily. And this should never be forgotten. 

It is not economy to patronize these untried cheap-johns. I 
have spent thousands of dollars in advertising in the last 
fifteen years, and- I know whereof I now speak. Invest your 
money for this service in well established publications, known 
to enjoy a wide circulation, only — or never advertise your 
stock, at all — is my disinterested advice. 

TO BREED LIGHT BRAHMAS EVENLY, 

and with uniformity, we must possess stock that has a good 
lineage, and such as has not been so carelessly cultivated as 
have been many flocks of these naturally beautiful birds, 
during the past twenty years. 

Few fanciers have taken the necessary pains thus to manage. 
And fewer still have followed any but the hap-hazard style, to 
which we have in these pages referred. It is idle work, and 
futile effort, to catch up a Light Brahma cock here and a hen 
or two there, to mate together for good results ; for disappoint- 
ment follows such unwise practice, and the progeny obtained 
in this way gives no tasteful breeder satisfaction. 

On the other hand, if those who incline to cultivate these 
fowls with a view either to future pleasure, or profit, will take 
the trouble to provide themselves in the first instance with 



54 



HOW TO BREED 



such specimens as are really worth growing at all, and secure a 
trio or two of good birds that are properly mated, they 
cannot fail to be gratified, in the end ; and may do what others 
have done before them, assure themselves of producing some- 
thing worth working for. 




LIGHT BRAHMA COCK TWO YEARS OLD, 

OWNED BY J. M. CASE, LANSING, MICHIGAN. 

At the outset, the cost of this undertaking is of course some- 
what greater than it will be to pick up birds at random, that 
are rarely what a fancier wants, and not what the sellers of the 
" cheap " stock cares to keep, himself. 

It must be understood by the beginner that first-class Light 
Brahmas are not low-priced birds, for the reasons we have now 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 55 

explained. The work of getting a strain of this valuable 
stock into the condition that will warrant the experienced 
breeder in demanding for his birds the higher prices current — 
and which he feels justified in guaranteeing to his patrons to be 
really the best of their class — is not accomplished in one year, 
or in three years. 

It is a question of time, and thought, and study, and large 
expense, as well, first and last. 

Let us say then, at the close of this treatise, to all who are 
ambitious to raise Light Brahmas that will prove satisfactory, 
and do the cultivator of this stock credit, begin with the best 
you can buy, be the source whence you procure it what it may, 
or the breeder you purchase it of, who he may be. 

When obtained, take proper care of your birds, and do not 
tamper with them until you have first proved them. Introduce 
no new blood amongst them, until you have ascertained how 
they turn out, by themselves. 

These fowls are generous feeders, comparatively, because 
they are much larger birds than are our average domestic 
poultry. They need more food, of course, and in just pro- 
portion to their size. They will reward you with larger eggs, 
however, and give yon in succession bigger, hardier, and 
healthier chickens at hatching. If you mature them, they will 
be finer, statelier, heavier, and more vigorous specimens than 
any others of the poultry tribe. 

All these are valuable considerations, which are known little 
of by those who have never handled this stalwart race,. as we 
and other old breeders have. 

But to be continuously successful in the direction now being 
discussed, we must keep ai it. You cannot merely begin aright, 
and after one year or two year's labor permit them to " run 
alone." It is of the first importance that we continue on, in 
our well doing. The year that We neglect or omit to follow up 
the judicious course now recommended, in both selecting 
and mating our birds properly, we go backward, inevitably. 

First we must look to good color. And by this we mean the 



56 HOW TO BREED 

right color, for our mating of the two sexes. Then, when we 
have a flock of such birds to choose from, we shall best man- 
age by breeding two-year-old cocks to pullets, and vigorous 
yearling cockerels to two-year-old hens. This difference in age 
is by far the better plan, particularly when we continue to 
breed from our own stock. Brothers and sisters should never 
be bred together, if this incestuous error can be avoided. And 
the more remote the relationship among your breeding fowls, 
the less danger there is of their retrograding. 

The pernicious effects of breeding Light Brahmas in-and-in, 
(or continually amongst their own kin), has long since been 
manifest to experienced poultry fanciers, as this mistake is 
well known amongst live stock breeders generally. 

A change of sire is needful and wise, at least once in two 
years. But in making this important change for the benefit 
of your flock, care must be taken that you again procure as 
good a bird for your purpose as was the first one, and that his 
color is as near like the other as you can obtain. 

A good cock, that has never shown weakness, or imbecility 
— that has been free from roup, or other disease, and that has 
not been overtaxed, by having been bred to too many hens at a 
time, is in his prime at two or three years of age. 

Hens will lay more eggs the first year, than subsequently ; 
but the eggs of two year old hens are better for hatching pur- 
poses, than are those of yearling birds. In the third year, 
healthy hens will lay well, but they decline in their yield (as to. 
numbers of eggs) after the second season. 

The Light Brahmas are, par excellence, the favorites of the 
author. He has cultivated them from the very outset, and for 
thirty years he has sought to improve them — whenever this 
could be done — at any cost of money, labor, or experiment, 
and by every attainable means. 

In this work he has given the reader his ideas as to how 
good birds should be grown, in his judgement. In this way he 
has managed this valuable breed, and it is hardly necessary 
to add what the poultry fraternity know : he has made this 



LIGHT BEAHMA FOWLS. 57 

business quite as successful as has any cultivator of improved 
poultry-stock living — on either side of the Atlantic. 

LIGHT BRAHMAS AT THE SHOWS 

are generally the chief attraction of any fowl exhibition ; and 
in late years these choice birds are present in excess of numbers 
over those contributed in any single class. They are admired 
for their beauty of plumage, for their general uniformity in 
color, their stalwart proportions, and their symmetry of form. 

Such is the character of the competition among breeders of 
this variety at the present day, that they must be right good 
specimens to win, at almost any first-class Show. And as a 
matter of course, those who enter their fowls for the prizes are 
rightfully permitted to place them before the public in their 
best and most attractive bodily condition. 

To effect this desirable object, the fancier may with a little 
preparation of the right kind, gain a point or two, when he 
knows how to present his birds beside those of his competitors 
in their finest trim as to cleanliness, purity of plumage, and 
high health. 

All this can be done without infringing upon any rule or 
regulation of the exhibiting society. But it requires a little 
time beforehand, and some extra care in feeding and manage- 
ment just prior to the time set for the show, to get the fowls to 
looking their best. 

For two or three weeks, then — to effect this — the cocks 
and hens should be separated, and kept in pens quite apart 
from each other, until after the Shows at which they are to be 
entered are over. The plumage of the hens and pullets are 
thus kept unruffled, and their back and wing feathers are 
preserved unbroken. 

Their feed during these three weeks should be sound and 
nutritious, and they should be given but sparingly of " green 
stuff." If they have a small clean dry run to exercise in, upon 
bright clear days, it will be an advantage. 

No " scraps " or other provender tending to cause a looseness 
of the bowels, should now be allowed them ; as, though this 



58 HOW TO BREED 

may do them no harm, it occasions a discoloration of the soft 
plumage around the vent, and renders them unsightly in this 
respect, frequently. 

Jf they can be accommodated during this brief term with a 
roomy pen inside the hen-house, where they can be fed and 
cared for by themselvas, they will do much better than if per- 
mitted to run at large with other fowls. And if the floor 
of their apartment be bedded with a thick covering of fresh 
wheat straw, cut up short and piled a foot deep all over it, this 
will serve to cleanse and purify their delicate white plumage 
wondrously, in the course of a fortnight after they are thus 
bestowed upon it. 

A small daily allowance of sunflower and hemp-seed, or 
buckwheat, daily, amongst their dry grain food at this time, 
will help to gloss and brighten their plumage. But not too 
much of these rich seeds should be allowed them, lest it do 
them injury. Fowls are amazingly fond of these seeds, and will 
eat them as long as they can find a kernel among their grain. 

No better morning allowance can be contrived than the mix- 
ture of boiled potatoes and rice, with scalded corn meal and 
wheat bran — one-fouth of each — fed warm and fresh, every 
day. At noon, all the whole wheat and crushed corn they will 
eat up clean. And at evening, the regular meal of whole corn 
and barley. The sunflower, hemp-seed and buckwheat are 
best fed at noon. And upon this fare they will thrive, without 
fattening, if not over-fed. 

While it is desirable just at this period to get all the good 
flesh upon their frames that can be availed of, care must also be 
taken that they are not gorged, and made uncomfortably/a£, 
in this process of preparing our nice birds for the Shows. 

It is an easy thing to render the Light Brahmas obese, and 
unwieldy. But, once they are thus inordinately fatted, it is a 
difficult thing to reduce the grossness, when we subsequently 
wish to use these same fowls perhaps for breeders. 

After the above generous treatment for three weeks just 
preceding show time — say upon the last day or two before 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 59 

sending them to the exhibition — they may be carefully sponged 
all over with clean rum and water, and their limbs, combs, and 
heads similarly cleansed. And when dried off, their plumage 
may be rubbed down with a bit of soft white flannel, thor- 
oughly, which will complete their toilet to the highest sat- 
isfaction. 

All this just previous to showtime. 

AFTER THE EXHIBITIONS 

these valuable birds require nice attention again, to preserve 
them and render them useful in the breeder's runs once more. 
While they are in the Show rooms, their owners should keep a 
watchful eye upon them, and see that they are properly fed 
and watered, there. 

The theory of the managers of poultry exhibitions is well 
enough, generally speaking, and societies who get up these 
annual Shows intend to carry out the promise they make in 
advance that " all fowls sent to their care on these occasions 
will be properly attended to," while they have them tem- 
porarily in charge. 

But the duty of feeding the stock is delegated to subor- 
dinates, who usually know little about the real needs of the 
stock, while it is cooped up in these close hot rooms ; and the 
birds suffer more or less, inevitably, unless the owner — or 
some person directly interested for him — shall have an eye 
to the comfort and care of the fowls, during this unnatural 
though brief confinement. 

It therefore becomes important, after the contributor goes to 
the trouble and expense of growing, preparing and entering his 
fine birds to compete for the exhibition society premiums, that 
he sees to it that his fowls are well cared for, while they are 
thus penned up in their limited coops in the show rooms. 

Every morning the birds should have fresh water in their 
drinking cups ; into which a little Cayenne pepper, or Tincture 
of Iron is dropped. They should have a little clean gravel 
thrown into the bottom of the cage, to help them digest 
the dry food they are stinted to, in these halls. A few tender 



60 HOW TO BREED 

cabbage-leaves also, daily, or a little lettuce, will be very- 
grateful to them. And a small quantity of cooked meat, 
chopped fine, once a day, will do them good. None of these 
things are provided by the show-managers. And yet your 
birds have this diet regularly when at home, if they are 
judiciously well fed. 

While the fowls or chickens are on exhibition, whether 
shown in pairs or trios, the sexes should still be kept separate ; 
that is, a partition should be placed in the centre of the coop, 
with the cock in one side and the hens in the other. Thus the 
plumage of the pullets or hens is kept clean and undisturbed, 
until the judges pass upon their merits. And this arrangement 
serves to exhibit their feathering in the best condition. 

BREEDING BEAHMAS IN QUANTITY 

requires only the same measure of attention and share of good 
management in their feed and keeping, that any modern im- 
proved variety of fowl-stock demands. 

They are a large breed, and for their best comfort they need 
more spacious quarters, according to the numbers cultivated, 
than do most other kinds of poultry. But we have never 
found it a profitable plan to keep too many together, in one 
enclosure. 

They are not, naturally, very extensive roamers, even when 
allowed full liberty to range over the fields and pastures 
adjacent to their houses. No fowl, that we ever had any ex- 
perience with, is so thoroughly " domestic," in the broadest 
acceptation of this term, as are the well bred Light Brahmas. 

They incline to loiter about their home, at all times, and 
will very rarely be found at a distance from the hen-house 
door, at any season, or during any part of the day — unless 
they are forced, by short feeding, to forage for their living 
largely. And even then they do not voluntarily wander out 
of sight of the fowl-house quarters, however generous may be 
the range they are allowed. 

If we are cultivating this breed for show birds, or for 
" fancy " sales, but a few breeders are necessary to be kept 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 61 

together ; and a comparatively limited run will suffice for 
the ordinary accommodation of a dozen or two hens, with a 
couple of cocks ; each half to be kept of course in entirely sep- 
arate pens, or yards, continually — and mated in the manner 
we have already suggested. 

If we desire to breed them more extensively, however, for 
their eggs and for poultry, then they may be treated to advan- 
tage as we would treat any other good variety, out of which 
we aim to make the most, for any purpose. 

Yet, inasmuch as they are heavy and clumsy, when matured 
in size, and as they will put on both meat and fat rapidly, in a 
natural way — they should never be stuffed with hearty food, 
ad libitum. They will eat, if fed with varied provender, about 
all you will give them — be it more or less ! For, as we have 
stated, they are exceedingly generous feeders, when in good 
health. And therefore discretion must be used, in their sup- 
plies, persistently. - 

The growing young stock — say for the first year of their 
lives — should be well fed. After this age, care should be ex- 
ercised that they are not over fed. Hens, of this breed, from 
a year old, onward, will put on fat internally more rapidly than 
is desirable, as a rule. And this inclination to obesity inter- 
feres largely with their ability to lay well, and regularly. 

If thus crammed with rich food, they are apt to drop soft- 
shelled eggs, very frequently. Light Brahmas, so gorged, 
often become cloyed, and get out of good condition. They 
will " break down " behind — or lose their muscular strength 
in limbs and abdomen, frequently to their ruin, prematurely, 
from this same careless method of over-indulgence in hearty food. 

We therefore suggest caution against huddling too many of 
them together in one flock, for whatever purpose we may breed 
them. And if we wish to use them merely for layers and for 
table consumption, we must never afford them more nutriment 
than they can dispose of clean, at one feeding, and accustom 
them to this system from the outset, after the pullets are 
ready to commence laying. 



62 



HOW TO BREED 




MATED LIGHT BRAHMA COCK AND HEN, 1879. 

For ordinary uses, therefore, it is not material that these 
fowls should be critically mated for color, or points. This 
stock bred as any variety is, where the object is merely to 
avail of it for poultry and its egg-product, needs no nicer care 
than do other breeds. 

A male to fifteen or twenty hens, will answer all purposes. 
The young and the old fowls can be placed together, in one 
enclosure. But if large flocks are kept, then they should be 
" colonized " in families of not more than 30 to 40 together, 
for their best comfort, thrift and health. 



LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. Go 

Such a course of treatment, if they are afforded plenty 
of space in their houses, and range enough to give them req- 
uisite exercise when out of doors, will ensure the keeper 
of Light Brahma fowls adequate returns — first and last — if 
he will manage them otherwise as any prime stock should be 
managed — sensibly, judiciously and systematically. 

WHEN THE BUSY SHOW IS OYER, 

we should use care again in returning the stock to their 
owners' premises, in order that the fowls shall not take cold 
during the time they are being transferred back to their home 
quarters. 

If they are subsequently kept for breeders, the hens should 
at once be placed upon low diet, for a month. Give them oats 
instead of corn at night, for dry grain, and scalded bran mixed 
with cooked vegetables for the morning feed. This will reduce 
their previously forced fatness, and render them much better 
fitted for laying, and their eggs more certain for subsequent 
hatching. 

If they prove winners, when you exhibit them, you will be 
gratified. If you are beaten fairly, by rival birds that are 
clearly better than your own, be content — and "try again.' 1 

There will always be found at these public exhibitions a few 
coops of fowls that are really better than those we think are 
the best, until we can see and examine the competing stock — 
and learn the fiat of the judges. 

You cannot always win. There are hundreds of sharp, 
enterprising, earnest fanciers around us, who are constantly 
engaged in striving to own and show the finest Light Brahmas 
that can be raised, or purchased. And you must take your 
chances in this crowd. 

If the hints I have set down in this brief treatise are availed 
of, and if my advice herein contained is carefully followed, the 
fancier may count upon average good success in breeding these 
splendid fowls, and he may be able to win his share of prizes, 
from season to season, with his best specimens — cultivated in 
the way I have now recommended. 



64 HOW TO BREED LIGHT BRAHMA FOWLS. 

Choose, to commence operations with, the best mated birds 
you can procure. Buy what you want of the breeder only who 
will deal with you honestly and fairly, and who knows what 
you need. Have your chickens or fowls properly mated to 
breed from, at the outset, and select from your own product, 
year by year, only such birds as you are satisfied are most 
promising in your flocks. 

Feed your fowl stock well ; house them comfortably ; give 
them variety in their food, constantly ; work upon system, con- 
tinuously ; ventilate your chicken buildings, thoroughly, and 
daily ; keep the stock free from vermin, always ; and under- 
feed rather than over-feed them, especially during the breed- 
ing season. 

This general method you will find judicious, easy, sensible, 
and successful. And in this way you, reader, may learn how 
to breed light brahma fowls to profit, and most satis- 
factorily — as J have done. 




/ 



je»3flic?e: 50 c^emxttjs. 



im 1M 





d3) mi 





LIGHT 



A 1®W 





i 




By GEO. P. BUENHAM. 

Author of "Diseases of Poultry," "Secrets in Fowl Breeding," "The Game 

Fowl," "Raising Fowls and Eggs for Market," "The China Fowl," 

"Talks and Walks about the Poultry Yards," "Our 

Canaries, and other Pet Birds," etc. 



*0>KO<> 

WITH CHROMO FRONTISPIECE OF 



and numerous other Engravings of popularly known Light Erahmas. 



-ooJ*<C 



MELROSE, MASS. 
1879. 



Copyright by Author, 1879. 



THE POULTRY WORLD, HARTFORD, CONN. 

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